Why ramp up?

[Guest]

Hello,
I've read on various posts that persons are encouraged with their progress when starting out with Topo, but have trouble when they ramp up. This begs the question, why ramp up if the level of dosage (25 or 50 mg, for example) seems to give a positive (and satisfactory) result?

[Guest]

Why ramp up?

Ditto. I have been on 25mgs for a week with great results when two days ago I doubled the dose and got nauseated and went white as a ghost for hours. I am trying one in am and one in the afternoon today to see if that works better. I'm willing to ramp up if it will continue to help. Questions? Does escalating help to prevent your system from acclimating to the drug? My doc thinks I'll settle at between 75 and 150mgs but she said she wasn't sure because she has never prescribed topo for alcohol abuse. Starting weight 130 lbs.
p.s. (Although I don't like to admit it) I think I'm bipolar and this stuff is helping to stabilize my moods. Go figure
p.s.s. The last thing I want lately is a drink. Yeh!

[Guest]

Why ramp up?

Hi wpryan.

Excellent question and thank you for your patience with this delay. The dosing is based on the work of Dr. B Johnson and others originally of the START program at the University of Texas. They use no other therapies and were only looking at medication response. In the MWO program we integrate many therapies. I observe that once my patients gain control over craving they are often free to stop at that dose. We avoid some of the Topa side effects in this way.

I also push lots of exercise and hypno, as well as the healing power of foods and I believe this helps with decreasing the craving without the progressive ramp up. BTW it is also cheaper as medications are expensive!

kekede: topamax is also used as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of bipolar disorder.

Good work and thanks for the question.

--Dr. Garcia